Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to set fresh records.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Century Assists Australia to Historic Pursuit
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details
- Tournament Standings, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers
It needed up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It's challenging for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the possibility.
Finally, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory came three months after her bow and seven world titles have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fail again.
The question of whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in training, it was a challenging time because I feel like my form was missing at all," said Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit take over and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has always been her great strength - and a priceless quality in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that the right-hander was underway.
"An opportunity to take the field and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.
When she was removed Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the assurance to achieve that now," stated Healy further.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we are confident we can do it."
That comment will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup want to hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this triumph following win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wanted to have participated through the pain.
However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have postponed consideration of ending her career, this World Cup is likely to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as leader.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.